Dulling

If you've ever held the honour of attending a Tangi, or funeral, for a member of my people, you'd have probably seen that their skin isn't nearly as colourful or vibrant as mine. That, in and of itself isn't incredibly unique. Most bodies tend to lose a bit of colour once they're dead. But Toa'ana gradually lose it as they leave their prime. You won't see it much outside the islands, since the elders tend to stop travelling long before the Dulling has finished, but once we hit our mid 30s we tend to fade. No matter if you're as blue as the ocean, as green as the leaves or as brown as the trees, we all end up... diminished, I suppose you could say. No shame in it. Hells, living long enough to sport a body of unreflecting black, grey or white skin is an accomplishment. Secretly though, I hope all this wandering I do keeps me vibrant for as long as possible.

Hurok Stone-fist, Toa'ana Monk & Traveler

Causes

As opposed to hair loss and wrinkles, more common in the human peoples of Gyrraholm, the Toa'ana passage into the last stages of life are signified by a loss of colour and lustre in their gem-like skin. While Toa'ana skin tones range from reddish brown, oceanic blue and (most commonly) forest green, these colours are most vibrant in their 20s-30s, and eventually their skin becomes less colourful, and less reflective as they age.

Symptoms

Once Toa'ana hit their mid to late 30s, their skin tone becomes noticeably more dull, leading to more flat white, grey and black tones among village elders. These changes do not occur rapidly, but over the course of many decades, and it is as natural as the comings and goings of the tides.

Treatment

Though the process referred to as "Dulling" is perfectly natural, some Toa'ana see it (correctly) as a sign of their own mortality, and so they try to fend it off for as long as possible. Though few proven methods exist to stave off this physical change in the circle of life, it is thought that leading a life to it's fullest, by experiencing the world, staying active and absorbing as much natural energy (via the sun and the sea in particular) can help one hang onto their lustrous gem-like skin for a little longer.

Prognosis

Dulling generally takes a Toa'ana from a colourful, vibrant and almost reflective skin tone (usually green or blue, but occasionally reddish brown) to a much more muted, unsaturated skin tone. The later stages of Dulling often leave village elders with white or black skin, or any shade of grey in between. Curiously, any Ta Moko (tattoos) they recieve during their life often suffer the reverse fate, going from darker, muted ink, and becoming more colourful and vivid, and remaining so even after death.

Type

Physiological